Wedding Blog

Mr. T was out of town this past weekend, and I used the extra time for a little errand to get ready for our e-pics: I had my eyebrows professionally groomed for the first time. Specifically, I went in for “threading,” which you can learn all about (thanks to Mrs. Bee!) right here.

As a serious fashion mag reader for many years, I have been subjected at least 643 times to the lesson that well-groomed brows can “open up” your eyes and thereby enhance your appearance without a lick of additional effort. I finally started plucking under the arch several years back, when I read that people unconsciously respond better to someone with groomed/arched eyebrows because that look mimics the slight eyebrow raise we do naturally when interested in what someone is telling us. But even once I gave in to plucking, I feared the pros because of the loss of control. What if they did those overly skinny drawn-on sort of brows and declared them perfect??!?

Luckily, I now believe those fears were unfounded.  But here’s a mug shot in the bathroom mirror so you can decide for yourself. (Sadly, there’s no decent “Before” for comparison because I avoid photos as a general rule. Hence the freak-out over the e-pics!):

The main difference is that they look strangely longer than before. Maybe when the eye isn’t as focused on width, you end up looking at length? As for the rest, I definitely feel pretty, oh so pretty. It might just be thanks to some weird bit of logic in my brain — models and actresses have thin brows, and I now have thin brows, therefore I now look like a model or actress. But overall I loooove them!

My facial hair is pale and downy and not actually that noticeable. But it’s definitely there, and photo-prep is giving me crazy thoughts like “do I really want to see lip hair in the photos for the rest of my life?” So I decided to have my whole face threaded while we were at it. And all I can say is, WOW! The eyebrows didn’t feel like anything, but the sideburns and mustache area were painful! If it’s truly LESS painful than wax, I plan to stay far, far away from wax… It was also rather disconcerting to feel so much yanked-out facial hair falling down across my face. I kept thinking, “I’m a MAN, baby!”

Anyway. Afterwards, upper lip still burning, I also hit Sephora for some makeup to cover my rosacea red-face. I recently found the brand Cover FX through rosacea discussion boards and a follow-up with the reviews on Makeup Alley. Though it’s pricey and rather high-maintenance, requiring first a primer and then a powder, most reviewers raved that it stays put and does a great job of coverage while still looking natural in photos. One counter-side makeover later, I was sold. Don’t know that I’d wear it every day because it feels rather heavy on my used-to-mineral-powder face. But it should work well for the big photos.

Here are my sources:

Threading: Okyo Salon in Georgetown, $15

Makeup: Natural FX (light version of the Cover FX foundation) $37 at Sephora

What new beauty routines are you trying for the wedding or your engagement photos?